E85 Corvettes to Race at the National Ethanol Open in Nebraska

If you think of high-performance Corvettes as gas guzzlers, think again.

This weekend, several Corvettes that have been converted to run on E85, a high octane blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent unleaded gasoline, will be strutting their stuff in Nebraska.

“By using E85, these Corvette owners are enjoying more horsepower and a cooler-running engine,” said Grady Koch of Upland with Kearney Raceway Park in Kearney, Neb. “The Corvettes are seeing 1,000 horsepower, thanks to high-performance E85 fuel.”

The converted Corvettes will come from a three-state area to run in the National Ethanol Open on Saturday and Sunday at Kearney Raceway Park.

Koch is excited about the action on Sunday for several reasons. For one, leading alcohol dragster James Stevens of Gothenburg, who’s reached speeds of 260 mph in the quarter mile with his machine, will be appearing.

“Sunday afternoon should be a great family show,” Koch said. “The E85 Corvettes will be racing down the quarter-mile, and we’ll have one of the nation’s top alcohol dragsters, along with dozens of other racers.”

Gates open at 7 a.m. both days, with time trails and qualifying at 10 a.m. The E85 Corvette demonstration is set for 1 p.m. Sunday, with the final racing competitions to follow.

“If you like fast cars that prove that E85 is a high-performance fuel, Kearney Raceway Park is the place to be this weekend,” Koch said. Kearney Raceway Park, which turns 50 this year, will welcome more than 200 race cars this weekend, with the National Ethanol Open sponsored by the Nebraska Corn Board, Nebraska Ethanol Board, and KAAPA Ethanol.

Source:
kearneyhub.com

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